Time sequence switch



A ril 11, 1961 w. Hol-zER 2,979,579

TIME SEQUENCE SWITCH Filed Feb. 14, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 3 65 l FIG/.47 5 Wm fi I i 5 3 E 2 I if 2 INVENTOR- Mher $1 By haw/c f. 149% A Horney April 1961 w. HOLZER 2,979,579

TIME SEQUENCE SWITCH Filed Feb. 14, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOF? miter ffolzer By h I 14%.

Attorney United States Patent TIME SEQUENCE SWITCH Walter Holzer, Schuetzenrain, Meersburg (Bodensee), Germany Filed Feb. 14, 1956, Ser. No. 565,476

Claims priority, application Germany Feb. 18, 1955 7 Claims. (Cl. 200-37) This invention relates to a rotary time sequence switch devised particularly as a cam switch for the control of operations of washing machines or of rinsing machines for dishes, and has for its object to impart to a switch of this kind (by means of which a sequence of different operations has to be determined) a controllable and adjustable speed in conformity with the different operations to be performed. According to the invention a controllable andadjustable rotational speed of the switch in conformity with the particular kind of operation to be performed, may be set or adjusted either directly at the factory, and then be a permanent one, or it may be adjustable and variable'in conformity with a certain and know sequence of possible operations.

Switches capable of having a variable rotational speed are already known to the art. However, in these known switches the control of the rotational speed is effected through variation of the driving power, that is to say, the driving power has to be increased or reduced in conforrnity with the desired increased or reduced rotational speed.

Hence, the object of this invention is to avoid the disadvantages of these known switches, and to provide means for operating switches (particularly switches operated by spring power and wound up by hand for moving switch cams mounted on a switch shaft) regarding the time allotted to the different operations controlled thereby in such manner that the spring power or the effect produced thereby at the switch cams is counteracted or controlled by a controllable or adjustable power.

The invention solves the problem by driving the switch shaft at an approximately uniform rotational speed and by coupling it during its rotation to an eddy current brake of generally known construction, while during the rotation of the switch shaft the brake power of the eddy current brake is regulated either arbitrarily by means of hand operated contacts or automatically via contacts of the switch itself.

Accordingly, the regulation of the rotational speed of the switch is effected either directly via contacts of the switch itself, or via some'other control means whose contacts are externally located, or the regulation is effected directly mechanically by hand.

Regarding the control of the eddy current brake, a further feature of the invention resides in that there is provided a variety of series resistances adapted to modify the brake power of the eddy current brake.

It is further possible to provide the switch according to the invention with a time sequence selector adapted to cause connection of the series resistances for modifying the effect of the eddy current brake in a variety of combinations.

According to the latter feature of the invention it is possible to derive from the time sequence selector the setting of the switch, e.g., for colored linen, white linen etc. The time sequence switch will then, in conformity with the setting of the selector, and because of the variety Patented Apr. 11, 1961 2 of series resistance combinations pass through the several switch sections at different speeds.

Regarding the time sequence selector it may be a switch which, depending upon its position, closes the circuit of the individual series resistance combinations.

Another feature of the invention resides in that the time sequence selector, mechanically selects the time sequence.

For the latter purpose the time sequence selector is devised as a purely mechanical means for effecting by means of rods the selection of the intended operation by selective connection of the dilferent series resistance combinations with the time sequence switch.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which an embodiment of the invention has been shown by way of example. However, I wish to say that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appending claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic illustration of a time sequence switch devised for operation by a spring means windable by hand and provided with an eddy current brake;

Fig. 2 is a diagram representing a time sequence selector switch which, when operated, connects various series resistance combinations;

Fig. 3 is a diagram representing a selector, similar to that of Fig. 2, which mechanically effects by means of rods the selection of the time sequence in the switch;

Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically by way of example a series resistance combination suited for use in the time sequence switch; and

Fig. 5 illustrates diagrammatically one of the switch cam arrangements forming part of the switch of Fig. 1, as a partly sectional view, the section being taken along line V-V of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 1 designates the casing of a cam switch provided with a compartment 2. In this compartment are located means for influencing the operational speed of the cam switch which make it possible to use a hand-wound spring motor for timing the switch operation. Terminals 3 are provided for connecting the switch elements into pertaining circuits. Cam discs 4, 5, and 6 are fixedly arranged by way of example on the switch shaft 12, by means of which the appertaining switch contacts 7, 8, 9 and 10 are operated.

Accommodated in the compartment 2 is a step-up gear train 11 transmitting the rotation of the switch shaft 12 at increased speed to the metal disk 13 for the generation of eady currents therein. By means of the handle 14, the switch shaft 12 is rotated to wind up a spring 65 attached at one end to shaft 12 and at the other end of the housing 1 whereafter the spring 65 causes rotary motion of the switch shaft 12 in opposite direction, when the handle 14 is released.

15 designates conventional coupling means provided between the switch shaft 12 and the additional means in the compartment 2 and devised in such manner that engagement of the coupling means results in transmission to the disk 13 via gear train 11 of a considerably higher rotational speed than that of the switch shaft 12; because of this increased rotational speed thebrake magnet 16 exerts through generation of eddy currents in the disc 13 its brake effect upon the switch 12, the reference numerals 17, 18 and 18a designating coils which may be used for nnfavorably the performance of the motor.

producing the magnetic flux -in the magnetic circuit and the induction of eddy currents.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing the reference numeral 19 designates the time sequence selector switch, while at 2% the time sequence switch'of 'Fig. 1 is diagrammatically illustrated as a block diagram. The pathof a movable contact arm 22 is denoted' 'by 21,".vhile the cooperating stationary. contacts denoted by:23, 24 and and-'26 are provided for controlling the plurality of intended different operations, their corresponding series resistance combinations being located at 27, 28, '29, 36.

These series resistance combinations may be of the bipolar or of the four-polar kind.

In Fig. 3 a mechanical time sequence selector 31 has a control lever 62 with handle 62', movable into various operating positions marked by32, 33, 34, 35, while its mechanical connection with the timesequence switch 3"! consists of a connecting rod 36. The time sequence switch has been denoted in its entirety by the reference numeral 37, and is provided with the same series resistance combinations 27,28, 29, as indicated already in Fig. 2, so that the actuation is exactly the same. However, in this case the hand-operated time sequenceselector is not in contact withvoltage at any place. It is possible, therefore,

to arrange it at places which for some reason or another grammatic illustration of a brake disk, the brake effect being produced due to eddy currents induced by the coils 17, 18, 18a. The switchshaft 12 may be provided with icams like cam 4 shown in Fig. 5, so that the various operating actions are switched on during various time periods, that is to say, that the speed of the switch shaft 12 is changed in conformity with the energization of magnet 16 via coils 17, 18, 18a, respectively. The energization is effected for. example by means of the coil 18a via the series resistance combinations denoted by 44, 45, 46, 47, 48. The appertaining contacts operated by cams on the switch shaft 12 have been marked 7, 8, 9, it).

In conformity with the various washingoperations to be performed it is now possible to adjust at 2.3 (see Fig. 2) the washing operation for colored linen, at 24 for white linen, at 25 for nylon goods.

Denoted by 53, 54, 55, 56 are the contacts controlling the washing operation; for example 57 designates the washing motor, 58 the heatin means, and 59, 6d the electri- .cally operated discharge valve and inlet valve, respectively.

As a field of application of the invention are suited all cases in which there has to be assigned to a rotary switch operated at a controlled speed of rotation the actuation of a sequence of difierent operating actions, said speed regarded all cases where a wide range of speed control 'has to be achieved, such as can not be obtained for example by direct speed control of a motor, since the capability of speed regulation of a motor (if a range of regulation of 1:50 is to be assumed) would affect too As a held of application particularly such rotary switches have to be mentioned which, while having an approximately uniform nominal rotary-speed, have their speed of rotation controlled either directly by means of series resistances-causing a braking action, or indirectly by'means of a time sequence-selector switch controlling said resistances.

7 Patentof the United States is:

1. In a timing apparatus, in combination, a rotatable member; switch means capable of being operated by said rotatable member; resilient means movable between a tensioned and an untensioned position and connected to said rotatable member for rotating the same at a uniform rotational speed when saidresilient means-moves between its tensioned and untensioned positions; eddy current braking means cooperating with said-rotatable member and producing a preselected braking force to decrease the rotational speed of said rotatable member; and control means including selector switch means and a plurality of selectively controllable resistance means connected in circuit with said eddy current braking means for arbitrarily varying said preselected braking force and thereby varying the timing of the operation of said switch means whenever desired.

2. In a timing apparatus, in combination, a rotatable member; switch means capable of-being' operated by said rotatable member; resilient means movable between a tensioned and an untensioned position and connected to said rotatable member for rotating the same at a uniform rotational speed when said resilient means moves between its tensioned and untensioned positions; 'eddycurrent braking means including a discmembermounted for rotation in driving connection with said rotatable member, and magnetic fiux producing means for establishing a magnetic flux traversed by said disc member to produce eddy currents therein and provide a preselected braking force for decreasing the rotational speed of said rotatable member; and control means including selector switch means and a plurality of selectively controllable resistance means connected in circuit with said eddy current braking means for arbitrarily varying said preselected braking force andthereby varying the timing of the operation of said switch means whenever desired.

3. In a timing apparatus in combination, a rotatable member carrying at least one cam means; manually operable resilient means movable between a tensioned and an. untensioned position and connected to said rotatable member for rotating the same at a uniform rotational speed when said resilient means moves between its tensioned and untensioned positions; eddy current braking means including a disc member mounted for rotation in driving connection with said rotatable member, and magnetic flux producing means for establishing a magnetic flux traversed by said disc member to produce eddy currents therein and provide a preselected braking force for decreasing the rotational speed of said rotatable member; energizing means connected in circuit with said magnetic flux producing means for energizing said magnetic flux producing means; a plurality of resistance means selectively connectable in circuit with said energizing means; first switch means mounted in means being connected in circuit with said resistance means forselectively varying said preselected braking force whenever desired.

4. In a timing apparatus in combination, a rotatable member carrying at least two cam means; resilient means movable between a tensioned andv an untensioned positron and connected to said rotatable member for rotating the same at a uniform rotational speed when said resilient means moves between its tensioned and untensioned positrons; eddy current braking means cooperating with said rotatable member and producing a preselected braking force to decrease the rotational Speed of said rotatable member; energizing means connected in circuit with said said eddy current braking means; eddy current varying means connected in circuit between said second switch and said eddy current braking means for varying said preselected braking force whenever said second switch is moved into one of its respective positions; and at least a third switch connected for parallel action with said second switch and manually operable for controlling said circuit which contains said eddy current varying means whenever desired.

5. In a timing apparatus in combination, a rotatable member carrying a plurality of cam means; resilient means movable between a tensioned and an untensioned position and connected to said rotatable member for rotating the same at a uniform rotational speed when said resilient means moves between its tensioned and untensioned positions; eddy current braking means cooperating with said rotatable member and producing a preselected braking force to decrease the rotational speed of said rotatable member; energizing means connected in circuit with said eddy current braking means for energizing the same; a plurality of switch means respectively associated with said cam means and each being mounted in the respective path of the associated cam means for being actuated thereby; and at least one selector switch movable between a plurality of circuit closing positions and connected in circuit between said energizing means and said eddy current braking means; and a plurality of eddy current varying means connected in circuit between said selector switch and said eddy current braking means for varying said preselected braking force by selected amounts whenever said selector switch is in one of its respective circuit closing positions.

6. In a timing apparatus in combination, a rotatable member carrying a plurality of cam means; resilient means movable between a tensioned and an untensioned position and connected to said rotatable member for rotating the same at a uniform rotational speed when said resilient means moves between its tensioned and untensioned positions; eddy current braking means including a disc member mounted for rotation in driving connection with said rotatable member and producing a preselected braking force to decrease the rotational speed of said rotatable member; energizing means connected in circuit with said eddy current braking means for energizing the same; a plurality of switch means respectively associated with said cam means and each being mounted in the respective path of the associated cam means for being actuated thereby; at least one of said switch means being connected in circuit between said energizing means and said eddy current braking means; at least one variable electrical resistor connected in circuit between said switch means and said eddy current braking means for varying said preselected braking force whenever at least said one of said switch means is moved into one of its respective positions; and at least one selector switch movable between a plurality of circuit closing and circuit opening positions and connected in circuit between said energizing means and said eddy current braking means.

7. Sequence switch for washing machines or the like comprising, in combination, a rotatable shaft carrying a plurality of controlled elements; a plurality of switch means associated respectively with said control elements and mounted adjacent to said shaft for being actuated respectively by said control elements; drive means for imparting a predetermined driving torque to said shaft; eddy current braking means mounted in operative connection with said shaft for exerting a braking effect on said shaft counteracting said torque; circuit means connected with said eddy current braking means and including a plurality of eddy current varying means each capable of individually predetermining said braking effect of said braking means; and a selector switch movable between a plurality of positions, each of said positions being associated with one of said eddy current varying means whereby by operation of said selector any one of said eddy current varying means is selectively connected in circuit with said eddy current braking means so as to determine the rotary speed of said shaft and thereby the time during which said switch means are held in closed or open position by said control elements, respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,267,213 Hall May 21, 1918 1,325,235 Craighead Dec. 16, 1919 1,355,829 Ford Oct. 19, 1920 1,604,415 Kane Oct. 26, 1926 2,071,194 Blume et a1. Feb. 16, 1937 2,298,521 Vehling Oct. 13, 1942 2,424,116 Puerner July 15, 1947 2,510,770 Bohn June 6, 1950 2,733,770 LeTourneau Feb. 7, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 536,294 France Feb. 9, 1922 

